Elcielo, Medellín, Colombia

INTRODUCTION

What happens when a chef with a Michelin-star restaurant to his name opens a hotel in Colombia’s most cosmopolitan city? The answer – you guessed it – is Elcielo, a contemporary 28-room boutique hotel located in Medellin’s El Poblado neighborhood. This isn’t just a place to sleep – it’s a six-story architectural statement that serves up an experience at every turn, whether it’s an 18-course tasting menu from Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos (known as Juanma to his peers) or a slow afternoon appreciating skyline views while slipping in and out of the rooftop infinity pool – the spot to cool off after a day of seeing the city.

LOCATION

Set in El Poblado – Medellín’s most stylish district – Elcielo puts you at the heart of Medellin’s exciting culinary and cultural renaissance. Wander along the tree-lined streets that surround the hotel and you’ll find contemporary art galleries, fashion boutiques with multi-coloured racks from some of Colombia’s up-and-coming designers, plus many of the city’s most innovative cafes and restaurants. You’re also just a few minutes’ walk from the buzzy vibes of Llheras Park, which is dotted with bars, food stalls, and locals decompressing long into the evening.

YOUR ROOM

The vast living wall and soaring fifth-floor atrium give you an idea of what’s to come in this contemporary hotel. The 28 suites feel grown-up and sophisticated, combining hardwood veneer walls with marble floors, vast beds and, in some bigger suites, silky-soft leather couches. There’s an apartment-like feel in each one, with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing plenty of natural light. Huge bathtubs are the perfect place to wind down, or there’s the rainshower with a mirrored ceiling. Because, well, why not?

WHO IT SUITS

This is a smart stay – a place for people (be it couples, grown-up families or solo travellers) who appreciate great design and a location in the thick of the action. You may think it’s just a hotel for food lovers, but it’s more than that. This is a hotel for people who love extraordinary and unusual experiences.

WHY WE LIKE IT

The Washington DC outpost of Elcielo restaurant was the first Colombian restaurant in the world to earn a Michelin star, and its Medellin location, on the first floor of the hotel, is similarly special. We don’t want to spoil the surprise, but it will challenge what you come to expect from a tasting menu experience (we hope you don’t mind licking Colombian chocolate off your fingers…). There’s also an exceptional Italian restaurant for other evenings. Meanwhile, the rooftop infinity pool is lined with loungers that are pleasingly padded and extra wide. Snooze, anyone?

SUSTAINABILITY

All of the restaurants at the hotel operate with a farm-to-table philosophy. Seasonal ingredients make the most of partnerships with local farmers and producers to reduce food miles and support Colombia’s agricultural communities.